Most at Moapa meeting speak in favor of power plant proposal

Thursday, April 19, 2001 | 11:36 a.m.

MOAPA PAIUTE RESERVATION -- Moapa Valley residents said they are concerned about depleting the area's ground water and their capability to respond to an accident at a natural-gas-fired power plant proposed for the Paiute Indian Reservation.

The Moapa Paiute Band hopes to simultaneously boost electricity supplies and the tribe's economy if the project is approved.

Most comments made Wednesday during the public hearing 45 miles northeast of Las Vegas at the Paiute tribe's community center were in support of the plan.

The project calls for a 760-megawatt generating plant fueled by natural gas from the nearby Kern River pipeline. The plant could use up to 7,000 acre-feet of ground water and boost the Indian economy.

Bruce Lund, Moapa Town Advisory Board chairman and the area's Nature Conservancy coordinator, said the growing region has scant knowledge about available ground water or what might happen if a project the size of the power plant pumped water for 25 years or more.

An environmental report on the project prepared by Mifflin & Associates states that, based on pumping tests and studies of nearby springs, the ground water might drop about 2 feet over 45 years of plant operation. During an extended drought, the water could drop up to 8 feet over the same period.

The project will require constant monitoring of ground water levels, according to the report.

The community's other concern, responding to an accident at the plant, could strain Moapa's volunteer firefighters and paramedics, Lund said. He asked for more details on what rescuers might face in the event of an explosion or fire.

Moapa resident Phil Swain said the plant, which would be built by Calpine Corp. of San Jose, Calif., is an important step toward relieving electricity shortages. "Instead of turning to gaming, this is a project we can be proud of," he said.

The Bureau of Indian Affairs and the Bureau of Land Management are ensuring the tribe's land, air and water are protected, the BIA's Ben Bershia said.

The plant would operate for 25 years with a 20-year extended option. However, if the Paiute tribe discovered harm to the environment from the plant's operation, Calpine would have to dismantle the generators and restore the land to its natural state, he said.